Logitech Trackman Cordless Wheel - trackball

Years ago my brother asked me what I wanted for my birthday. "A Logitech Trackman Marble trackball", I replied.

6 years on I still have that Trackman. Sure, it looks a bit dated and the logo has rubbed off from all the hours at work using it but for its extremely advanced age it is still in perfect working order and if it wasn't for my need for gadgets I would still use it. So how does Logitech's new Trackman compare?

I purchased Logitech's Cordless Trackman Wheel (USB) for about £40 early last year (2002). I was a bit shocked to find that the shape, although functionally the same, had been altered from the previous model but after a couple of hours I was up and running like I'd been using it for years.

For those who still use a mouse I have one thing to say to you... R.S.I

I can use this trackball for extended lengths of time without any aches or pains and that's more than I can say about the mice I have used in the past. Because you only have to move your thumb you can relax the rest of your arm. Try to do that with a standard mouse!

The mouse comes with the usual Logitech setup software which is comprehensive, allowing each button to be everything from a SHIFT key to allowing it to launch Explorer.

The mouse is basically self-cleaning as it has no rollers, instead using a light fired at the ball to judge movement, but if you do want to clean the inside you just poke a pen into the hole underneath and pop the ball out. A quick wipe around the cavity and the ball, and you're off again. Simple.

The cordless function works well (even better than advertised) with a simple little gadget that plugs into your USB port and receives info from the trackall. The only downside to this appears to be slight loss of accuracy when compared to my old Trackman Marble.

Oh, if you're thinking of gaming with this kind of trackball; forget it. You'll very quickly switch back to a conventional mouse. But for everything else, this trackball is the dogs nads in almost every department. It's comfortable, stylish and very convenient. If you like trackballs, buy it. If not, you don't know what you're missing!